Bathroom policies are too strict

McNary has new water fountains encourage more students to save plastic and stay hydrated throughout the day. In the summer, every student is told to drink their water as to not get dehydrated.

However, many students feel pressured to not go to the bathroom because of how strict the bathroom policy is for most classes.

Every teacher has their own specific policies about using the restroom and most of them are upright obnoxious. Whether it is only 3 passes a semester, only a certain amount of people able to go in a period, or any other rules, it is incredibly discouraging to students trying to work on their water intake.

Water has many health benefits such as weight loss, stress relief, boosted energy, and more, which can be found on westmedical.com. As a student that tries to drink about 6 water bottles daily, it is very hard for me to achieve my goal if I can barely go the bathroom.

According to the mayoclinic.org, men need about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of water daily and women need about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters). That is a lot of water and since school is 8 hours of the day, it does not give you very long to drink your water in a time period that is healthy.

Teachers need to be less strict and let students use the restroom when needed. Some staff members argue that teens should be going before class during passing period but 5 minutes is not enough time to go to the bathroom, go to your locker, and get to class on time.

I understand that teachers are afraid of students skipping class, going on their phone, and goofing off, but that shouldn’t hold other kids who need to actually use the bathroom.

The student handbook clearly states, “Teachers are requested not to issue hall passes for any reason. Noted exceptions would be use of the restroom facilities or when a student is ill.” Using the restroom should be a right that every student has instead of a choice that leads to repercussions of their grade, staying after class, or knowing their use of the bathroom is now limited.

Being a teenager is a very crucial part of the youth’s life, where students are beginning to gain responsibilities, freedoms, and maturity. By discouraging our bathroom use, you are belittling those teenagers. If a school really wants students to be successful, the first step is drinking lots of water to develop a healthy and happy brain. The next step is to actually let students have freedoms so they don’t feel like they are still children. By giving responsible students more freedom, I predict that grades, attendance, and general attitude will improve dramatically.